Opinion: Shiseido Travel Retail’s Siv Chao on creating long-term value in beauty

Introduction: Shiseido Travel Retail is committed to understanding the changing preferences of modern travellers. In this column, Vice President Marketing Siv Chao outlines how consumer insights drive the development of Shiseido ‘Beauty in Motion’ trends, enriching travel experiences through innovative solutions – from active ingredient skincare to the fusion of beauty and wellness.

At the recently concluded TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition & Conference in Singapore, this was one of the most pressing questions from Shiseido Travel Retail partners: How can we bring more value to our consumers and passengers as travel returns?

Our ambition in the evolving travel retail landscape is to create a new culture of beauty and unique value for travellers with our brands. The key to unlocking value and driving a new culture is clear: consumer insights.

As one of the longest-standing beauty companies in the world, we have been learning about our changing consumers and investing in research & development to ensure that we stay on top of the game.

During the TFWA Asia Pacific opening conference, Dr Keyu Jin – author, economist and London School of Economics professor – shared valuable insights about the new generation of young Chinese consumers, and their propensity for shopping, travelling and sharing. This really resonated with me and the work we are doing at Shiseido, to inspire travellers to rediscover the beauty in travel.

With our focus on shaping Shiseido’s expression in global travel retail, we have conducted insights research across the beauty industry. During the Singapore show we shared our top five Shiseido ‘Beauty in Motion’ trends:

The Active Ingredient Era: Today’s consumers are savvy about skincare ingredients and demand products that are effective and scientifically grounded. In Asia, travellers are conscious about ingredients and actively seek formulations with proven clinical efficacy.

Less is More – Skin Minimalism: The era of ‘more is more’ is ending. Consumers are seeking out multi-functional products that streamline routines and adhere to clean and ethical beauty standards.

Beauty & Wellness Unity: The demands of modern lifestyles are powering the rise of holistic wellness. Consumers are looking for services, experiences and products that support inner and outer beauty. This unity of beauty and wellness gives rise to beauty ingestibles, wellbeing devices, new rituals and personalised skincare offerings that promote overall health.

Co-created Personalization: The demand for personalisation is taking centre stage beyond personalised skincare products. We are moving towards bespoke services, experiences and consultations to meet travellers’ needs. This journey of co-creation fosters a deeper understanding of skin concerns and drives brand loyalty.

Cultured Travels: As tourism resumes, travellers are heading off the well-trodden path to discover experiences and services that allow them to engage with local cultures, traditions and communities in a genuine way.

Shiseido: ‘Beauty in Motion’

At Shiseido, we are leveraging these consumer insights to stay ahead of beauty trends and evolve alongside our changing consumers. Founded in 1872, Shiseido has pioneered and consistently harnessed the power of science for beauty.

Today, we are the most awarded beauty company by the International Federation of Societies of Cosmetic Chemists – a testament of our dedication to cutting-edge, ingredient-driven solutions.

Shiseido has been championing avant-garde beauty for more than 150 years – this approach is experimental and challenges beauty norms through different generations.

We draw constant inspiration from Japan as a cultural force in tourism, a leader in Omotenashi (Japanese philosophy of hospitality) and an advocate of Kando moments (deep feelings of satisfaction and happiness) while travelling.

Following the insights shared at the conference, and productive meetings with our partners across the industry, I am even more passionate about creating a new culture of beauty to bring value to travellers. We look forward to collaborating with our valued retail partners in expressing Shiseido’s unique approach to Japanese beauty in travel retail. ✈